2-How did you start your career?
I started working in the fashion business when I was very young as a model, I never stopped since. Did many internships/jobs while at uni, studied it for 6 years as I have 2 masters and then worked my way into the buying world.

3-What inspires you?
I don’t need inspiration. Fashion is in my blood!And more seriously, fashion is born in the street. Observing people is a big part of my job.

4-How do you select the items for Beymen?
I select what sells not what I like and that’s every buyer’s challenge. You need to know your market and know what they are ready for. The Egyptian customer typically is not an avant garde person but I slowly managed to involve people in trends that are higher market and more niche than what we find on the mass market. And that’s an accomplishment!

5-Describe your personal style in 3 words:
Streetwear / funky / too much – which I like to call: “borderline baladi” – ya I love “baladi” things I think the tackiness in them is the essence of fashion.
I love to mix sweatpants with a bustier and blingbling accessories. Or a nice dress and sneakers. I mean my wedding shoes were Isabel Marant silver sneakers.

6-What’s your latest obsession?
I’m very much into up-cycling. Love to take one item n reroute it’s initial purpose into something else that looks cool to wear, Andrea Cruz does it brilliantly. Also love when it’s done with vintage clothes. Vintage Tshirts with a cool print turned into a cropped top or mixed with lace or knits to create a new piece. Or more simple things we can all do like using a scarf as a top or a necklace as a belt or a napkin ring as bracelet or a broach as a hair pin.

7-How influential is your role in the Egyptian and arab fashion scene?
Huge! And I love that. Beymen is the only high end multibrand store in Egypt and I’m the one who decides everything about it. So even tho our customers travel I kinda set what they will be wearing when stuck in Cairo.

8-What advice do you have for someone who wants to pursue a career in the fashion industry?
Work hard. It’s not glamour. If you don’t absolutely love it, don’t even try.

9-What is the most rewarding part of your career?
Seeing someone wear my clothes. See! I even call them “my clothes”!
When you buy for a store, you imagine people in the clothes, it’s always nice to see it worn and accessorized by others.

10-Name an item you can’t live without.
An item? I’m not a one item kinda person you have to see me travel! I overpack! I believe we buy clothes n accessories to wear them so I take so many things with me. Ok let me think. One item….. bracelets, I can never buy just one, I buy to fill the arm, otherwise it makes no sense! See, ya…. “one” doesn’t work for me. The only thing I have one of is a husband!